Dead man left explosives behind in Kentucky woods, police say

HARLAN, Ky. – Police have found two more improvised explosive devices in the woods of Harlan County, Kentucky, a week after the man accused of placing the explosives was killed during a search for them.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Mark Sawaf was arrested in June, accused of concealing explosives in trail cameras and leaving them in the woods.

Sawaf had been ordered to remain in custody until trial but was brought to the woods just over a week ago to help law enforcement find other explosives. Kentucky State Police Trooper Shane Jacobs has said a group that included officers from federal, state and local agencies had found several cameras — usually attached to trees — when Sawaf tried to escape. He was shot and killed during an altercation, Jacobs has said.

Sawaf had owned and operated Harlan Counseling Inc. since 2014 and had a master’s degree in mental health counseling.

Federal agents began investigating in May after a trail camera exploded, causing a man to lose multiple fingers and suffer wounds to his torso. The man had obtained the camera from someone who found it on a mountain trail.

State police are investigating Sawaf’s shooting. Meanwhile, troopers have continued to search for explosives and are asking the public to report anything suspicious. Authorities believe explosive devices were scattered over an approximately 5-mile radius in the eastern Kentucky woods.